Isaac
(2004) documented the irregular patterns in the occurrence of wildfires in St.
Lucia.There was an initial increase in
the number of wildfires from 2000 to 2003 with 262, 427, 444, 595.In 2004 there were only 84 wildfires.

The
year 2010 registered an unprecedented drought period and an increased number of
wildfires

island-wide.A report from the Corporate Unit in the
Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries detailed the downward
trend in the average monthly rainfall from July 2009 to February 2010.There was a percentage reduction of 6, 33,
61, 67, 48, 53, 78 and 96 from July 09 to February 2010.

This
document serves to provide baseline data on the number of wildfires, the
acreage of area burnt and the wildlife present- including fauna and flora.

Objectives

1.To
assess areas affected by wildfires in the Millet Range in terms of their
location, the acreage burnt and the
relative presence and absence of fauna.

2.To
develop recommendations to rehabilitate sites affected and or to reduce the
risks of wildfires in the future.

Methodology

1.Wildfire
affected areas were geo
referencedusing a GPS in Anse La Raye,
Venus, and Canaries.In areas where
access was a constraint, a GPS position, a bearing and an estimated distance to
the site was recorded.The size of the
area burnt was estimated. Inventories of plant and
wild life populations were also done.

2.The data on the species richness was then analyzed for locations
in two (2) tables of absence and presence for plants and other wildlife, and
analyses were done of the relative abundance of species per location.

3.The data on acreage was then sorted from largest to smallest
according to location and analyses were done the total acreage burnt and the
relative number of burns per location.

Figure 1
Map Showing Affected Areas

Results

Table 1 details the extent of and
the total area that was burnt in the Millet range.There was a total of 10.9 hectares (25.9
acres).Canaries was most affected with a total area of 5 hectares (12.4 acres).In general the other areas affected were
smaller patches of land between 0.5 and 2.5 hectares.

Most of the fires in Canaries were
on gentle sloping lands, (less than 10 percent) and appeared to be of an
agricultural nature.The wildfires either
on the roadside may have been set by farmers using the slash and burn method to
clear land for planting, or may have
been set by lit cigarette buts, foreign objects in the dry grass, or intentionally
set by pedestrians. Notable in all the locations were the presence of species
like Bamboo, Razor Grass and Heliconia Leucaena, Gliricida and Coconut trees-
species (see Table 3) of high calorific content and by the foliar structure
made spread of wildfires more probable especiallyas they were dry during the prolonged dry
season.

Canaries was also one of the sites
that recorded a relatively high number of plant counts 47 (see Table 2) and 18
counts for wildlife (see Table 4).

Venus, located in close proximity
to the Forest Reserve recorded the highest number of counts of plants- 61 (see
Table 2) and the highest number of counts of fauna (see table 4).

There were also wildfires in
Millet near Parc Estate that were reported to be of an initial agricultural
origin that went out of control.

There were fewer wildfires in the
Vanard area.This area is general highly
populated and is used for agriculture and housing.

Most of the wildfires in the Anse
La Raye area were near the road side.

From the point of view of
biodiversity of ecological importance for conservation, three (3) endemic
species of fauna were identified in this study:the St. Lucian Oriole, the St. Lucian Parrot and the St. Lucian
Warbler.The St. Lucian Parrot was
identified in Millet and Venus.The St.
Lucian Oriole was only identified in Millet.The St. Lucian Warbler was identified in Canaries, Millet and in Venus.

Table 1 Total Area Burnt by Wildfires

Location

Acreage (acres)

Area (hectares)

Vanard

1.26

0.5

Venus

4.19

1.7

Millet

6.25

2.5

Canaries

12.4

5.0

Anse La Raye

1.82

0.7

25.9

10.5

Table 2 Abundance of Plants

Location

Counts
ofPlants

Anse La Raye

24

Canaries

47

Millet

10

Venus

61

Vanard

6

Table 4 Abundance of Fauna

Location

Counts
ofFauna

Anse
La Raye

14

Canaries

18

Millet

19

Vanard

5

Venus

36

Table 3 Total Number and Diversity of most abundant Plants

Species

Number of Counts

Aralie

4

Cashew

4

Kakolie

4

Bwa Canon

5

Leucaena

5

Ti Bom

5

Gommier Maudit

6

Gliricida

6

Sip

6

Bwa Blan

7

Bamboo

7

White Cedar

9

Coconut

11

Mango

12

Table 5 Total Number and Diversity of most Abundant Fauna

Species

Number

of Counts

St. Lucian Oreole

2

St. Lucian Warbler

4

St. Lucian Parrot

4

Scaly Breasted Thrasher

6

Carib Grackle

10

Lesser Antillean Bullfinch

11

Lesser Antillean Saltator

13

Banana Quit

21

Conclusion

·The
total area burnt was approximately 10 hectares.Most of the wildfires were in Canaries with 5 hectares, followed by
Millet with 2.5 hectares, Venus with 1.7 hectares, Anse La Raye with 0.7
hectares and Vanard with 0.5 hectares.

·Venus
was the site with the highest number of counts of plants and fauna: 61 and 36
respectively.Canaries recorded 47
counts of plants and 18 of fauna, Anse La Raye 24 of plants and 14 of fauna,
Millet 10 plants and 19 of fauna, and Vanard with 6 counts of plants and 5 of
fauna.

·Three
endemic faunal species were present in the site inventoried.They were: the St. Lucian Parrot, the St.
Lucian Oriole and the St. Lucian Warbler.Native plant species that inventoried were Bwa Blan,Lowye Mabre, Dalmarie, Bwa Canon, Bwa Bleu,
Mahoe Cochon, Aralie, Bay Leaf and White Cedar and Kakoli, Sip, Savonette, Bwa
Damand, Bwa Tan Si and Sip.

·The
causes of the wildfires are uncertain.There were many plausible causes of the wildfires included: being set by farmers using the slash and
burn method to clear land for planting, or may have been set by lit cigarette
buts, foreign objects in the dry grass, or intentionally set by
pedestrians.In most cases especially in
the Venus and Canaries areas these wildfires went out of control where the initial
purpose of the fire was for agricultural purposes.

·The
prolonged drought caused the increased probability and incidence of
wildfires.The intensity and spread of
wildfires was enhanced with the presence of plant species with high calorific
content including: Leucaena, Gliricida, Razor grass and Bamboo.

Recommendations

1.Some
of these parcels are on a gentle slope and would be good for grazing before the
onset of the dry season. This would help keep the brush under control therefore
lessening the amount of material that will fuel fires in the dry season.This venture should be undertaken in
collaboration with the Extension Division and private land owners and farmers.

2.Pruning
of branches and trees before the onset of the dry season.Establishment of wildfire traces in areas
prone to or where prescribed burnings will be carried out.

5.Fat
poke can be used for terracing on some of the steeper areas as it has proven to
be very good as a fire retardant and also recovers very well after a fire.

6.Forest
officers should also be trained in the suppression of fires and there should be
increased patrols around the hot spots where fires are being set.

7.Education
programs should be developed especially in Canaries and Venus with private land
owners as the Forestry Department does not manage lands in these areas.There should be collaboration with the Fire
Department, the National Emergency Management Organization ( NEMO), the
Extension Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and
Fisheries and the Schools.

8.The
dynamics in the populations of the 3 endemic species should be monitored in
Venus, Millet and Canaries.Fruit trees
such as Kakoli should be part of reforestation programs in the mentioned areas
that were burnt.

Appendix

Table
1Summary of Data on the Flora, Fauna and Use
and Extent of Wildfires that Occurred in the Millet Range

DATE

WAY-POINT

FLORA

FAUNA

VEGETATION

EXTENT

REMARKS

28/4/2010

N. 1356.610

grapefruit, oranges, breadfruit

Banana Quit, Grackles

AGRICULTURE

1 acre

about 150 feet from the Sarrot river

W. 060.59.495

coconut, Roseau

28/4/2010

N.1356.597

bois canon, guava, low shrubs

King bird, Banana Quit,

AGRICULTURE

1 acre

alongside road

W. 060 59.569

and grass, mango

Grackles

3/5/2010

N. 1354.942

Palms, blue mahoe,

Banana Quit, Bullfinch, Ramier,

0.25 acres

secondary forest growing venus estate

W. 06100.273

mango bwa blan

St. Lucian Warbler, Saltator

ferns re-generating along road-side

3/5/2010

N. 1354.941

SAME AS ABOVE

SAME AS ABOVE

0.01 acres

ferns re-growing

W. 06100.603

SAME AS ABOVE

SAME AS ABOVE

3/5/2010

N. 1354.967

mabre, dal marie,
bois blan

Thrashers, Banana Quits

0.35 acres

razor grass might have fuelled fire

W. 06100.624

bois canon, mahoe cachon,

Secondary Tropical Forest

coconut palms

3/5/2010

N. 1354.974

bois blea, dedefounden, bois

Banana Quits,
Saltator, Bullfinch

0.01 acre

lots of razor grass

W. 06100.675

blan, coconut, garlic

3/5/2010

N. 1354.982

coconut, mango, powye, bois

Banana Quit, Bullfinch

0.02 acres

razor grass and ferns

W. 06100.703

blan, bay leaf, mahoe cochon

could have facilitated fire

3/5/2010

N. 1354.986

Parrots, Gracklers, Humming

0.15 acres

Secondary Forest

W. 06100.723

birds, Banana Quit, Bullfinch

3/5/2010

N. 1354.989

coconut, ferns, powye,

Grackles, Humming birds,

0.15 acres

Secondary Forest

W. 06100.753

bois blan

Banana
Quit, Bullfinch

3/5/2010

N. 1354.337

gommier, maudit, bamboo,

Saltator,
Elaenia

1.5 acres

callapo maconoides - regenerate

W. 06103.716

powye, lucaena

pangola grass regenerating

3/5/2010

N. 1354.303

bamboo, glory cedar, Campeche

Saltator,
Warbler

0.5 acres

regeneration- tetneg, sensitive plant

W. 06103.659

lucaena powye, tibom

Butterflies

high regen of yellow flowered plant

3/5/2010

N. 1354.625

powye, campache, gommier,

Saltator,
Bullfinch, Banana

4 acres

dry scrub forest around digicel satellite

W. 06103.865

maudit, Ti bon

Quit, Grackle

receiver high pangola regen

3/5/2010

N. 1354.402

gommier maudit, lucaena,

0.75 acres

regenate
pangola sensitive plant

W. 06103.553

bamboo, mango

high lucaena regenated

3/5/2010

N.1354.497

gommier maudit, glory

0.25 acres

Secondary Dry Forest

W. 06103.464

cedar, ti bom, cashew

3/5/2010

N. 1354.589

glory cedar, flamboyant,

Zenaida Dove, Elaenia

0.15 acres

regenarating
calapo, tet neg

W. 06103.502

ti bom, gommier, maudit

3/5/2010

N. 1354.681

1.2 acres

150 degrees north

W. 06103.397

3/5/2010

N. 1355.180

bois l'homme, bread fruit,

Lesser Antillean Fly Catcher

0.20 acres

on a steep slope about 25 degrees

W. 06100.856

kakolie

heliconia leaves might have fuelled fire,

established forest

3/5/2010

N. 1355.191

mango, marbre, sip

Banana Quit, Saltator, Ramier

0.35 acres

secondary forest on a steep slope

W. 06101.016

savonnette,
bois tan

3/5/2010

N. 1355.165

garlic, bois canon, wild

Saltator,
Banana Quit, Vircos

1.25 acres

very steep slope on either side of the

W. 06101.112

anthurium, bamboo, kakolie,

Butterflies, Thrashers

road was burnt

sip

3/5/2010

N. 1355.738

SAME AS ABOVE

SAME AS ABOVE

Minor Fire

W. 06101.673

SAME AS ABOVE

SAME AS ABOVE

3/5/2010

N. 1355.731

SAME AS ABOVE

SAME AS ABOVE

Minor Fire

W. 06101.712

SAME AS ABOVE

SAME AS ABOVE

3/5/2010

N. 1355.789

sip, hog plum, glory cedar,

Banana Uuit, Grackle,

0.1

10 meters east of the

W. 06101.873

mango, coconut

Saltator

Anse La-Raye river

3/5/2010

N. 1354.884

powye, strangler fig,

Birds

4 acres

60 degrees north of G.P.S. point

W. 06103.258

gommier, maudit

about 6 parcels

3/5/2010

N. 1354.983

strangler fig, glory cedar,

Thrashers, Banana Quit

0.5 acres

very steep slope on the edge of the

W. 06102.590

lian duce,
powye, gommier

highway 62 degrees north

maudit, ti bom

3/5/2010

N. 1354.127

elephant grass, mango, lucaena

0.25 acres

260 degrees north

W. 06102.459

sip, lian duce

3/5/2010

SAME AS ABOVE

glory cedar, ti bom, powye

Thrashers, Banana Quit

0.25 acres

60 degrees north

SAME AS ABOVE

bwa guan fey

3/5/2010

N. 1355.222

pat poul, tet neg, bwa gwon

Birds

0.2 acres

W. 06102.509

fey, bois tan cashew, elephant

grass

3/5/2010

N. 1355.342

pat poul, powye, lucaena, pine

Birds

2 acres

good for grazing

W. 06102.536

mango, cashew, lian
duce

3/5/2010

N. 1355.975

mangoes, powye, campache,

Birds

1.5 acres

20 degrees north of G.P.S. point

W. 06102.742

coconut

good for grazingand used for

agriculture

5/5/2010

N. 1354.400

coconut, grass

Grackles, Banana Quit,

0.25 acres

agriculture land on the edge of road

W. 06059.711

Bullfinch, Oreoles, Parrots

St. Lucian Warbler

5/5/2010

N. 1354.376

coconut, ferns, mangoes,

Agouti, Mongoose, Parrots

2.5 acres

about 350 meters east of main road on

W. 06059.727

bois domande

Oreoles, Warbler, Bullfinch,

a partially abandoned farm

Saltator

5/5/2010

N. 1354.408

bois blan,bois domande,

Butterflies, Parrots, Agouti,

1.25 acres

abandoned agriculturalarea about 200

W. 06059.715

mangoes, coconut ferns

Mongoose

meters east of main road

5/5/2010

N. 1354.740

guava, cashew, mango

Bullfinch,Kingbird

fire burnt both east and west side

W. 06059.678

bamboo, heliconia

Hummingbird, Saltator

of road

Table 2 Scientific Names of Plants
in the Inventory of Areas affected by Wildfires